On any given day, HKEX provides 200 gigabytes of data through its platforms for analysis and decision making.  That is just on market data alone – meaning real-time data on listed securities and derivatives as well as issuer news.

This data is generated and used by the many thousands of traders who come to HKEX’s platforms on a daily basis. Oversight of the markets with real-time access to trading patterns and transactions, alongside detailed information on individual securities, issuers and participants means that exchanges are uniquely placed. Collating this data, processing it and packaging it provides ever richer intelligence on capital markets to exchange customers. This, in turn, helps them drive their own business, making more informed decisions and better managing risk and resources.

And in a world where markets have become truly real-time – responding immediately to news and information – providing richer and more timely data is key to maintaining the attractiveness of any marketplace.  

Data will be enriched.

Data has been at the top of HKEX's agenda for a long time. But the future landscape for exchanges is one where data will continue to be elevated further. Post-trade data, in particular, will see a big boost. It’s in our world and is already available through our website, but our customers want different cuts and different packages of data to help them drive their success.

“They want to see the minute-on-minute, hour-on-hour, day-on-day changes, and they want it distributed in a way that suits them,” adds Glenda. When it comes to asset servicing data in particular, such as information on income and corporate actions, there is an opportunity for exchanges to go up and down the data food-chain, working with custody councils for example to better deliver that data, in turn allowing customers to process securities more effectively.

Technology will be an enabler.

One of the biggest problems with data is that it is everywhere and it is seldom in a form that can be easily digested or joined together.

New technologies give us a better chance of deriving business intelligence out of the data we have.

  Group Chief Technology Officer, Richard Leung  

 

ESG is an example of one such area where new data gathering and validation technologies have the potential to make a huge difference. “If you are able to use the internet of things (IoT) to monitor and reduce carbon emissions, the data can be trusted because it’s validated. Similarly, if you use GPS images to track a deforestation project, as an investor you will have proof that what you’re participating in is having real impact. We expect green tech to be one of the key areas to benefit from the power of data – and that’s good as it will help us all move towards a more sustainable world,” adds Glenda.

Where does this all lead us? Ultimately enhancements to the way data is generated and distributed will help lower barriers to entry for financial market participants. “As markets have become much more information driven, the data we produce will make it easier for participants to execute ever more sophisticated transactions. So in a sense, having access to information, in the right way and at the right time democratises finance because it changes the way that the market operates, offering access in the cheapest and fastest way possible. And that benefits us all, because the markets will become bigger, more liquid, more transparent, more open and more efficient,” concludes Adam.